- Date
- October 23, 2009, 17:15 local (Oct 24, 2009, 00:15 UTC)
- Place
- Edwards, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3052NSocata TB200
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 19, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20091023022359A
- Case key
- 74985
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper flare resulting in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the sunglare.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
In a written statement, the pilot reported that shortly after departure, with the airplane about 30 to 40 feet above ground level (agl), the left door opened. The gull-wing type door prohibited the pilot from being able to reach its latch without him unfastening his seatbelt. Given the airplane was only about 3,000 feet down the 8,000-foot-long runway, the pilot opted to abort the takeoff by retarding the throttle to the idle position. The sun was reflecting off the windscreen hindering the pilot's vision and he could not ascertain the airplane's height above the runway surface. The airplane landed hard, incurring structural damage to the airframe. The pilot stated that accident could have been prevented if there was more emphasis in "door operation" when performing a check in a different make and model airplane. The pilot further added that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine.
Factual narrative
In a written statement, the pilot reported that shortly after departure, with the airplane about 30 to 40 feet above ground level (agl), the left door opened. The gull-wing type door prohibited the pilot from being able to reach its latch without him unfastening his seatbelt. Given the airplane was only about 3,000 feet down the 8,000-foot runway, the pilot opted to abort the takeoff by retarding the throttle to the idle position. The sun was reflecting off the windscreen hindering the pilot's vision and he could not ascertain the airplane's height above the runway surface. The airplane landed hard, incurring structural damage to the airframe. The pilot stated that accident could have been prevented if there was more emphasis in "door operation" when performing a check in a different make and model airplane. The pilot further added that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3052N
- Reported as
- Socata TB200
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1564
- Airframe hours
- 2,665
- Engine
- Lycoming I0360 SER A&C, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Edwards Air Force Base Aero Club
- Registered owner
- Edwards Air Force Base Aero Club
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 11, 2009 · 22 hours before
- Departed
- EDW · Edwards, CA
- Destination
- TSP · Tehachapi, CA
- Airport
- EDW · Edwards Air Force Base, runway 24, 8,000 × 50 ft, concrete
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 8, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 89 total · 2 in this make and model · 38 as pilot in command · 23 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 85 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 30,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- EDW
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 10, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 246 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.